As you may know, Congress has only funded our government through January 19, so difficult is the task of repeatedly making the good citizenry swallow garbage. But that doesn't mean they won't keep trying! So Public Citizen helps you tell your Senator to block any anti-freedom garbage from the next must-pass spending bill. You know what Mitch McConnell loves to do with must-pass spending bills? Loosen campaign finance restrictions, that's what. You know what other lunkheads in Congress would like to do, right? Repeal the Johnson Amendment, and in doing so let churches become money-laundering operations for big donors. (That church-state wall we always talk about? It protects the church, too.) But we're Americans, dammit, and we deserve better than a Congress that constantly takes us hostage so it can pass odious bills that would otherwise wither in sunlight, and we should put it to our Congressdolts like that. If that hurts their fee-fees, they can go get a real job.
Meanwhile, Congress also aims to extend Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, that section of federal law that allows our government to Hoover up your electronic communications without a warrant. Our Constitution would have our government get a warrant to do such things, but who cares about our Constitution when ZOMG TEH TERRURIZTZ!!!!!! Seriously, our Founders must be spinning in their graves watching our government act more or less like the government they revolted against, all in the name of "security." But real security comes from honoring your values, and adhering to them, even when it's difficult or inconvenient. And who suffers the most from government spying? Our government's political opponents, of course. So if you think Section 702 would be a good way to stick it to protestors and immigrants, just remember that the next Administration could always turn it on you. Both Roots Action and Free Press help you tell our government to reject the reauthorization of warrantless spying on Americans.
Finally, Congress still hasn't funded the Children's Health Insurance Program (or CHIP), though (per the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission's July assessment) most states will have run out of CHIP money by March. And dig the excuses coming from Republicans these days! Sen. Hatch (R-UT), who co-wrote the original CHIP law back in the day, says "the reason CHIP's having trouble is because we don't have money anymore." And certainly not because Congress just blew a $1.5 trillion hole in the deficit with its tax bill handouts to corporations and the wealthy! A bill Mr. Hatch shepherded through the Senate, no less! Maybe shame over this hypocrisy explains why he's not running for re-election; at least, I'd like to think so. Anyway, Americans for Financial Reform helps you tell your Congressfolk to reauthorize CHIP, and without poison pill amendments that would, for example, injure Medicare.
Comments